Plea bargaining is widely accepted and used in the criminal justice system in Florida and throughout the U.S. It is seen as beneficial to defendants and the state for various reasons. However, defendants facing charges must be aware that entering a plea bargain without a plea bargain attorney in Florida can potentially land them in […]

Self-defense in Florida is an affirmative defense in which you don’t deny the acts laid out by the prosecutor but claim that under Florida law, you had the right to take those actions to defend yourself or others. Can you go to jail for self-defense in Florida? Not if your lawyer can show that you

Despite the plethora of protections built into the Constitution, justice in America isn’t always perfect. Sadly, sometimes people are convicted of crimes they didn’t commit or receive sentences that are inappropriate for the crime they were convicted of. Thankfully, the same system that attempts to prevent this from happening in the first place also offers

Can you go to jail for driving under the influence (DUI) in FL? The short answer is yes, but much depends on the circumstances. If you’re convicted enough times for DUI in a short enough time frame, or you injure or kill someone in an accident, your chances of jail time increase. Many of those

Three more police officers face charges for the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, making many ask, “What is aiding and abetting second-degree murder?” Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, according to the jury in his Minnesota trial. Three other former officers will also

In Florida, the difference between first- and second-degree murder is whether the killing is premeditated, it occurred during a felony, was due to selling illegal drugs or is the result of a “depraved mind.” Depending on the facts, the line between the two degrees may not be clear, though the differences in sentencing may be

Panella Law Firm Accepts Cases Throughout Florida If you have ever wondered “How do I beat a felony drug charge?”, you may recognize that you face an uphill battle. Without legal representation, that fight will be even harder. The United States has made it clear for the last few decades that drugs and drug trafficking

If you’re charged with a crime, there are issues that may increase your sentence, so you should ask yourself, what are aggravating factors? There are factors that increase the seriousness of the crime while others make the sentence harsher. Through these laws, the Florida legislature tells the public that some circumstances are worse than others,

Many Black Americans have died at the hands of police officers over the years. Sometimes promises of change are made while funerals are being planned. Sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers have met their fate at the hands of the police. George Floyd was one of them. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was